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Discussion

Just a vent.....

Why do nurses threaten to "write up" every one for every little thing? I have been at my current job for 8 weeks, and have been threatened twice, for doing absolutely nothing. (I know, you never do anything to get in trouble, but I was taking care of my pts my other preceptors had shown me.) Todays threat, I guess she perceived me being a little rough on my baby, and yes I was frustrated with MYSELF, the kid wasn't taking the bottle well from me, but being rough on a baby I would never do. I didn't jerk, pull, shake drop etc. I pulled her bottom up a little higher on my leg so she would be sitting straighter, and in a slightly more comfortable position. I had her head supported and support behind her neck and shoulders. She snaps when I do something that isn't entirely correct, or not the way she does it. But then a little while later, she will say that I am doing great, and doesn't have any corrections to my practice.And its not the correction that bothers me, its the tone that she uses telling me that I am a complete idiot, sometimes right in front of family or coworkers.... Yes, I'm new to nursing, but doesn't the fact that I am an RN (BSN, passed NCLEX...) grant me some (like a minute) amount of professional respect, even though I don't have experience? I am still in orientation and my current preceptor is good, but not that great of a teacher. I know my time management is going to stink because she goes ahead of me and does half of the work....which is great, less work for me, but she wont be there once I'm off orientation. I even asked her to kinda sit back and let me do everything, and that request was ignored. I dread going in to work some days, and feel like quitting some days. I am so ready to be off orientation, but then terrified at the same time. I know this is long, but I had to get it off my chest.

Featured Replies

  • Expert

Nursing has, in my opinion, a rather bizarre professional culture where "ratting" on coworkers is the norm. This might be construed as controversial, but I think much of it is related to the female domination of the profession.

Most of the male-dominated professions (physicians, engineers, police officers, CEOs, etc) have protective cultures. Nurses will tattle on each other in a New York minute, but you simply do not see this occurring in other professions. Nurses will frequently write up their coworkers, tattle on people, and report other nurses to the BON, but male doctors will often cover for each other until the end. Cops have the blue code of silence, where they will not expose each other's wrongdoings unless the circumstances are extenuating. Other professions simply are not known for weird professional cultures, but nursing definitely needs work.

  • Expert

In addition, the nursing profession attracts a fair share of women with low self-esteems. People who live with chronically low self esteems crave plenty of validation and ego-boosting in order to feel better about themselves. Unfortunately, the quickest way for some of these nurses with low self esteem to feel temporarily better about themselves is to write other nurses up or report petty wrongdoings. The nurse feels a sense of control every time she reports someone.

Orientation is a tough hurdle and I feel for you and your predicament. Especially when your having been degraded verbally by your preceptor. All I can say is this person has a very low self esteem to be so rude to someone learning the ropes. Hang in there, things will get better, don't beat yourself up! And remember to write about this incident of unprofessional behavior when doing your preceptor's evaluation. :-)

Wow--

I so much agree with you. I worked in the computer industry for 25 years, including some time in sales, and had a real team mentality. I figured that nursing would be even more team-oriented, due to the fact that human lives were involved. Was I ever wrong.

Men tend to protect each other, or at least tell the other guy in private that he is screwing up, knock it off, and be done with it. Men don't then hold a grudge for the next zillion years.

I also blame managers who allow the ratting. If they just told their people to deal with it (minor stuff, of course) instead of writing each other up, a lot of it would stop.

I swear, sometimes I feel I'm on Mars.

Oldiebutgoodie

Nursing has, in my opinion, a rather bizarre professional culture where "ratting" on coworkers is the norm. This might be construed as controversial, but I think much of it is related to the female domination of the profession.

Most of the male-dominated professions (physicians, engineers, police officers, CEOs, etc) have protective cultures. Nurses will tattle on each other in a New York minute, but you simply do not see this occurring in other professions. Nurses will frequently write up their coworkers, tattle on people, and report other nurses to the BON, but male doctors will often cover for each other until the end. Cops have the blue code of silence, where they will not expose each other's wrongdoings unless the circumstances are extenuating. Other professions simply are not known for weird professional cultures, but nursing definitely needs work.

I swear, sometimes I feel I'm on Mars.

No, you're on Venus. Systems was Mars.

Suesquatch,

another ex-programmer

No, you're on Venus. Systems was Mars.

Suesquatch,

another ex-programmer

Hee hee. You're right. Venus. With its atmosphere of pure estrogen.

Nursing has, in my opinion, a rather bizarre professional culture where "ratting" on coworkers is the norm. This might be construed as controversial, but I think much of it is related to the female domination of the profession.

Most of the male-dominated professions (physicians, engineers, police officers, CEOs, etc) have protective cultures. Nurses will tattle on each other in a New York minute, but you simply do not see this occurring in other professions. Nurses will frequently write up their coworkers, tattle on people, and report other nurses to the BON, but male doctors will often cover for each other until the end. Cops have the blue code of silence, where they will not expose each other's wrongdoings unless the circumstances are extenuating. Other professions simply are not known for weird professional cultures, but nursing definitely needs work.

^^^ She said it all! :madface:

Nursing has, in my opinion, a rather bizarre professional culture where "ratting" on coworkers is the norm. This might be construed as controversial, but I think much of it is related to the female domination of the profession.

Most of the male-dominated professions (physicians, engineers, police officers, CEOs, etc) have protective cultures. Nurses will tattle on each other in a New York minute, but you simply do not see this occurring in other professions. Nurses will frequently write up their coworkers, tattle on people, and report other nurses to the BON, but male doctors will often cover for each other until the end. Cops have the blue code of silence, where they will not expose each other's wrongdoings unless the circumstances are extenuating. Other professions simply are not known for weird professional cultures, but nursing definitely needs work.

Very well said. I think it's abslute hogwash when snitchy people do this kind of stuff to one another and one day I'd like to see it cease. I'm a true blue loyal kind of girl and this really gets me in a twist.

Nursing needs unity!

Because writing people up gives them the suggestion of POWER.

POWER percieved is POWER achieved

try not to enable them

if they bug you too much go elsewhere and be HAPPY

  • Author

Thanks for the responses. I really like the Commuter's explanation. I know that is one of the many issues that needs to be worked on to make nursing a true profession.

Thanks for the responses. I really like the Commuter's explanation. I know that is one of the many issues that needs to be worked on to make nursing a true profession.

Wrong, Nursing already is a true profession

Wrong, Nursing already is a true profession

Too bad nurses can't seem to act like professionals. They seem to delight in causing problems for one another. Management perpetuates it (of course they do - they don't want nurses to work together. They are much weaker as a group if they work against each other). Instead of telling the "tattletale" - "you are an adult - you need to solve your interpersonal problems in a mature manner rather than resorting to pathetic passive-aggressive tactics", they say "ooohhh what a gooood patient advocate you are." This is exactly what immature people with low self-esteem want to hear, thus it encourages them to continue the behavior.

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